Sculpture
Statues offered durable bodies for gods, kings and the dead, ranging from colossal stone figures to intimate wood carvings.
An art of purpose
Every image had work to do
Placement, scale, material, colour and inscription helped determine an objectโs role. A temple relief, tomb painting, amulet and cosmetic spoon belonged to different contexts, yet each joined skilled making to meaning.
Consistency was a strength, not a lack of invention. Artists adapted shared conventions across more than three thousand years.